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Department of middle, secondary, reading, and deaf education
About Us
The Department of Middle, Secondary, Reading, and Deaf Education programs of study include undergraduate degrees (BS.Ed.) in Middle Grades Education, Deaf Education, and American Sign Language Interpreting and master's (M. Ed./MAT) and educational specialist (Ed.S) graduate degrees in Middle Grades Education, Secondary Education, Reading Education, and Deaf & Hard of Hearing Education. Graduate degree programs are available campus based, hybrid (partially online), and fully online. Undergraduate middle grades majors choose two teaching content concentrations from the following areas: science, mathematics, social studies, language arts, and reading. Certified teachers are eligible to be admitted to the master's degree programs or the educational specialist degree program by application through the graduate school.
A fifth year program for middle grades and secondary education candidates to earn teaching certification is available at the master's degree level with two options. Each program is a cohort program beginning in June or January of every year.
The Alternative Certification for Teachers (ACT) program is designed for career changers and those who are currently teaching on a non-renewable (provisional) certificate. It is designed as a two year program; at the end of the first year a candidate may be recommended for initial renewable certification (T-4) and at the end of the second year a candidate may earn a master's degree (M.ED) with a T-5 certification. Cohort groups begin in June or January.
The Master's of Arts of Teaching (MAT) is a fifth year certification program and is a full time day time program in which candidates may earn a master's degree (MAT) and a renewable teaching certification in a 4 semester program of study with cohort groups beginning in June or January.
The Master's of Education (M.Ed.) in Reading Education is designed for teachers PK-12 and prepares teachers to work as a teacher of reading in these areas. Literacy development, processes, instruction, and research are part of this master’s-level program. The program meets the standards required by the International Reading Association (IRA), the National Association of Teachers of Colleges (NCATE), and the Georgia Professional Standards Commission (PSC). Teachers graduating from this program are required to take the GACE in Reading Education.
The Reading Endorsement is an online program specifically for PreK-12 classroom teachers wishing to add expertise to their current State of Georgia Teacher Certification. The endorsement is designed to help meet the literacy needs of the students, regardless of content area. The program meets the competencies required by the Professional Standards Commission’s Georgia Reading Endorsement. Emphases include understanding readers and the reading process, linking assessment andinstruction, and exploring specific instructional strategies that can be applied in individual classroom contexts. The specific courses for the endorsement are:
- READ 7100 – Trends and Issues in Reading
- READ 7010 – Diagnosis and Correction of Reading Difficulties
- READ 7130 – Comprehension and Study Strategy Instruction
The courses listed above can be applied to a Masters in Reading Education. Teachers must be fully accepted into VSU Graduate School before the end of six credit hours.
For additional information, please contact:
Department of Middle, Secondary, Reading, and Deaf Education
Dr. Barbara Stanley, Department Head
Dewar Education Center, Room 1051
Valdosta State University
1500 N. Patterson St.
Valdosta, Georgia 31698
Phone: (229) 333-5611 Fax: (229) 333-5963